'Diplomatic' pursuit of alleged fish poachers begins

The Federal Government has filed official requests with Ghanaian and Spanish authorities for assistance in locating and bringing to justice a boat believed to have been fishing illegally in Australia's territorial zone.

The boat was first detected on radar and then confronted by an Australian fishing boat, the Southern Champion, two weeks ago.

Identified as the Ghanaian-flagged Alos, it was intercepted 50 miles inside Australia's zone in the Southern Ocean near Heard Island, by a Perth-based Austral Fisheries vessel.

It is believed the Alos has been renamed a number of times and was previously registered to the Spanish flag.

Fisheries Minister Ian Macdonald says a pursuit of the vessel is unlikely, but authorities around the world will be notified.